Stay Realistic. Proenza Schouler Resort 2022

| Design & Culture by Ed

While nearly every single designer is musing on re-emerging and dressing up again as more and more people get vaccinated, the Proenza Schouler boys rather stay realistic. Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough aren’t buying the roaring twenties, at least for the moment. “You want to hold onto some of that ease, some of that comfort, some of that intimacy that you had with the pandemic,” Hernandez told Vogue. “But then you want to introduce things that feel a little bit more nipped, more tucked, something a little bit more tailored.” They’re emphasizing knits in the form of ribbed tanks and pull-on pants that puddle at the ankles, and their high-buttoning jackets are made to be as easy-wearing as cardigans. Silhouettes are grounded by flat shoes, either fuzzy house slippers or thick-soled, heavy-tread boots of the sort that have recently been trending. The nipping and tucking Hernandez talked about was achieved in a couple different ways: a top and pants in oversized proportions were swaddled at the waist and fixed with a gold pin, while tunic-length bouclé tweed tops were slightly peplumed at the hips, creating a New Look-ish line that they kept modern by layering leather shorts and those big boots underneath. The clearest sign of the change to come, once we get past the pandemic, might be a chunky knit sweater and matching skirt combo that stands out not just for its eye-catching shade of marigold but also for the fresh mini-length of its skirt. I kind of wish there was more of that boldness in the designers’ latest offerings. Still, in its leggy, unencumbered attitude it looks like a compelling direction for the duo.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Topi Botanic

| Design & Culture by Ed

Quentin Smith and Alia Raza are the creative forces behind TOPI. Self-care obsessed, they’ve long discussed that now more than ever their skin faced an onslaught of shifting conditions – from the dynamic weather patterns of a rapidly changing climate to the multiple environments they found themselves in on a daily basis. Indoor heating, air conditioning, frequent airplane trips, air pollution, glaring LED screens, fluorescent office lights, a vacation in the tropical sun, a bracingly cold ski trip… TOPI Climatic Skincare was born as a way to address the impact of all of these extremes on their faces. Quentin (a world-traveler and medicinal plant enthusiast based in Southern California) and Alia (a New Yorker based in France who studies fragrant flowers) sought out the world’s most advanced botanical ingredients and consulted doctors, chemists, and health experts to produce elegant formulas for every skin type, every skin color, every age, every gender, every climate, and every day. Two incredible products – Sun Serum and Snow Serum – are TOPI’s ultimate answer. The first is a refreshing blend of active sun-loving botanicals and 300mg of anti-inflammatory pure cannabidiol. Each lightweight drop contains powerful concentrations of antioxidant-rich plant extracts combined with skin brightening vitamin C, invigorating green tea, and anti-pollution cacao seed for environmental and blue light protection. The result is a gentle oil-free skin treatment formulated to calm redness, boost natural skin cell regeneration, and align skin with the radiant energy of sunlight. The other serum contains high concentrations of antioxidant-rich flavonoids and carotenoids combined with skin smoothing niacinamide, hydrating Bulgarian rosewater, and nourishing plant and seed oils. Here, the result is a soothing and deeply protective skin treatment, formulated to maintain moisture levels, boost natural collagen production and optimize vibrancy. Nourish your face year-round with this refined climate defense serum developed for the conditions of daily life, in cooler seasons and dry weather. I’m testing the brand’s Starter Kit and I must say the serums are working wonders.

Discover more about the brand here.

Force of Nature. Gabriela Hearst Resort 2022

| Design & Culture by Ed

Gabriela Hearst took on the creative director duties of Chloé in December and has been shuttling between New York and Paris ever since. Resort 2022 is the first full season at her name-sake label she completed after the appointment, and she confessed she was concerned about pulling it together. But as time shows, she needn’t have worried – this woman is a force of nature. The 38-look lineup, which includes some men’s pieces, appears anything but dashed off. Hearst is making some of New York’s most finely wrought clothes: a double-face cashmere coat finished with a hem of sacred geometry lace, a dress embellished at the neckline with colorful agates left over from her pandemic-interrupted spring collection, a long linen shift with macramé chakanas inset at the chakras, a leather coat in earthy tones assembled like marquetry, and cashmere intarsia sweaters with famous North and South American sites from Yellowstone to Machu Picchu. Those are just the more obvious details. Meanwhile, her efforts around sustainability are ongoing. A jean jacket and its matching flares were patchworked in a rainbow of four different shades of deadstock denim. The collection is 49% upcycled or deadstock material, close to her stated goal of 50% for 2021. The biggest advances might be in her footwear. Sandals with deep cork beds are a guaranteed hit – the cork is harvested without cutting down trees and it can biodegrade. There are also boots made with natural rubber soles and espadrille flatforms built on a base of algae-derived foam that cuts down on plastic. Hearst emphasizes the couture-level embellishments and the nitty-gritty of responsible design with the same enthusiasm. But she’s most passionate about her many collaborators, from her daughter Mia, who painted the rainbow eyes that appear on some silk separates, to the New York artisans whose workmanship on the collection’s macramé-inset shifts she says rivals anything in Paris.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.